Mr. DeSpirito served in various executive positions at BlackRock, Inc. beginning in August 2014, including as Managing Director, Lead Portfolio Manager from August 2014 to December 2025, Chief Investment Officer for United States Fundamental Equities from May 2016 to April 2023, Head of the Income and Value Franchise from March 2017 to December 2025, and the Global Chief Investment Officer of Fundamental Equities from April 2023 to December 2025. Prior to his time at BlackRock, Mr. DeSpirito held various roles at Pzena Investment Management, including as a Managing Principal, Executive Vice President, and Portfolio Manager, from 1996 to 2014. He also previously served as an attorney at Ropes & Gray LLP. Mr. DeSpirito serves as a director of the Adirondack North Country Association. He has been a visiting lecturer at Cornell s SC Johnson College of Business since 2022. Select Qualifications and Experience: A successful leader with over 30 years of experience as an executive in the asset management industry with deep professional investment experience in public equities, including serving as Global Chief Investment Officer and lead Portfolio Manager at BlackRock, where he had responsibility for investment teams managing approximately $260 billion in active equity assets and directly managed approximately $60 billion in portfolios. Recognized financial expert with extensive experience in capital allocation, risk assessment, financial analysis, and evaluation of regulated financial institutions, gained through decades of institutional portfolio management, firmwide investment leadership, and engagement with executive management teams and boards. Significant governance, fiduciary, and regulatory experience stemming from prior supervision of legal, compliance, and internal audit functions, legal practice advising public companies, and service on nonprofit boards.